


her love is like a forest fire ; for her i will willingly burn

by Chaol



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: BAMF Nesta Archeron, F/M, Nessian - Freeform, Nesta Archeron-centric, Nesta Archeron/Cassian Fluff, Nesta Archeron/Cassian Smut, POV Cassian (ACoTaR), Sort Of, it isn't all sex but its fun anyway, its also plot buildling, nessian smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:15:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27072568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaol/pseuds/Chaol
Summary: Nesta never stops fighting - but sometimes she does crave the peace she finds in Cassian's company.
Relationships: Nesta Archeron/Cassian
Comments: 7
Kudos: 42





	her love is like a forest fire ; for her i will willingly burn

**Author's Note:**

> Another Tumblr anonymous prompt !
>
>> at the cabin, Nesta is frustrated because she loose a fight after being attacked from behind in the ring. Cassian teaches Nesta how to defend herself of an attack like this. (smut I think? Sexual tension, against)
> 
> I took a few liberties creatively to mesh it with what I had in mind, but let's hope it will suffice! 

Rage was a barely contained beast within her, it was one thing to be forced here against her will, another to be humiliated in the ring when she’d sparred with another Illyrian. Storming back to the tent she currently held as her own, with Cassian’s right next door. Apparently the loud expression of frustration hadn’t been enough to indicate to him she was frustrated and needed an outlet, so this time she began to rattle the weapons she kept in her tent. 

As if on queue, his head popped in the door.

“Stop treating your weapons like that… they will return the favor if youre not careful..” 

Somehow that only incited her anger further, slamming her splayed hands into his shoulders she was pushing him out of the tent. Or attempting to. Despite her best efforts he didn’t budge, instead amusement flickered on his face as he looked down at her. 

“Let me guess. You went in there, powers blazing. Burned everything to the ground. Except your opponent?”

If only he wasn’t quite so dead on the mark --....

“Were you watching? Cauldron sake Cassian -- why were you watching. Better yet why didn’t you come here right away? I need to train - I need to do -- something.”

The agitation in her voice was obvious, it wasn’t the losing so much that had bothered her, she didn’t think herself weak by any means. Yet she realized that raw uncontrolled power --... wasn’t enough. Strategy and war were one thing, a battle for your life was another. And she didn’t want to be vulnerable like that again. It wasn’t enough to just be able to make and unmake, to rip things apart, sometimes you needed an exacting touch not a razing blow.

“Hold on -- we’ll go work on strategies.” 

Cassian reached for her, arms encircling her waist, her arms around his shoulders as his wings unfurled and they took to the sky. Nesta wasn’t likely to admit it, but in his arms she’d begun to stop hating this method of travel. It wasn’t as if she wanted wings herself, or to watch the ground beneath them. Yet -- almost against her will she trusted him. 

Who she was now, was much closer to who she had been when they’d promised each other their next life. A sharp intake of breath as she rested against him, letting the feelings of helplessness and vulnerability slip away in the rushing wind and the beat of his wings. When they landed she was in a better state than the camp, truthfully -- the camp was torment for her. Reminding her of the war, reminding her of everything she wasn’t ready to remember yet. 

Part of why so often her anger lashed out at Cassian, he was a reminder - it wasn’t his failure to keep his promises that she resented. It was that she’d needed this promises at all, that warmth and that strength -- she’d needed that from him more than she’d ever wanted to admit. And as a woman who had been forced and trapped into so many things, her choice - her freedom - was all she’d ever really wanted. Yet the camp reminded her that even as a high fae, she was at the whims of her sister and her mate. 

Resentment flared against Feyre, Feyre who finally had everything she wanted -- Feyre who adapted so easily… 

She was about to burst with rage again, when she felt Cassian’s hand on the small of her back. A grounding touch, one she leaned into - they landed with a soft oomph, yet as he released his arms around her. Nesta didn’t pull back -- instead her arms remained across his shoulders, her fingers now brushing the soft wind blown waves of dark hair at the nape of his neck. Her mind currently on things other than self defense -...

Yet he cleared his throat, brow raised skeptically -- for all his swaggering and alpha male posturing, the Cassian she spent time with alone in these woods was someone she would choose to love. Never pressing his advantage with her, never pushing beyond where she seemed to be ready for, and as mercurial as her moods were.. Even she had a hard time keeping up with where her emotions were about him.

“I know I’m pretty but I don’t think doe eyes are gonna keep them from beating you next time in the ring…” amusement flickered on his features, and as obnoxious as that was coming from him. It was what she needed, torn between laughter and frustration -- she slapped the back of his head before stepping back.

“So. Wing buffet. How do I use it to my advantage when they do it.” 

An effective change of topic, drawing from her mind the ideas she’d been having of riding him as they rolled in the soft plush looking grasses and found solace in the wooded forests where no one could touch them. Where reality wouldn’t quite reach them. If she wasn’t careful she was going to go doe-eyed at him again. 

The hours ticked by, Nesta going from one extreme to another, frustrating and barely contained rage, to absolute joy and victory as she mastered skills that were harder than she thought she could handle. Dusk began to fall, and she watched as Cassian cooked the rabbit he’d caught and skinned earlier, she’d started the fire for them. Yet she wasn’t thinking about anything other than him right now.

Moving to sit beside him, their hips touching as she stuck her hands out to the warmth of the fire. Watching him out of the corner of her eye - she knew the art of seduction, it was easy enough. Nesta knew how to use her body to get what she wanted. Moreso she knew he was already devoted enough to have once offered her his own life if need be. But it had been war then, and promises made with imminent death before them was different than promises made when you had time to think about it.

Finally she breaks the silence. 

“Why haven’t you tried to sleep with me?”

A splutter from the male, eyes darting to her face - a crease between his brows. 

“That’s what you’re thinking about right now --- I guess so.. Well.” here he pauses, a hand raising to rake through his hair, long since loosened from the knot he wore it in usually. “You choose who you sleep with. You have from the start. You chose everyone but me. I figured that was my cue to not be -- pushy where I wasn’t wanted.”

A sharp inhale, he knew -- he knew she had wanted to choose. And so he’d abided by that. Even as -- repulsive as he may have found her choices to be. 

“What if I chose you? What would that mean?”

Somehow he knew she wasn’t referring to the sex, though that would be.. Intense if nothing else. 

“Whatever you chose it to be Nesta.” Cassians voice is hushed now, around them is quiet except the noises of the forest as it drifts towards night. The sizzle of rabbit fat as it drips into their fire, the snap and pop as the flames flare up.

That was the right answer --. Nesta hadn’t known what the right answer would be, but when he said it - she knew. That was the answer she’d needed to hear.

Her fingers brushed along his jaw, fingers curling at the unshaven jaw line. A hum as she moved to straddle his lap. Cassian’s hands easily spanned her waist, tipping his head upwards as he met her gaze. Lips parting as if to speak again - but she silenced him with a kiss. 

A kiss that poured every insecurity, every vulnerability, ever tension and anger and bickering and fight. A kiss that answered every question and fought every battle, a kiss that continued as hands scrambled to rid each other of their clothes. Drawing back from the kiss as he guided her leathers over her head, a soft hum as her hands brushed the deep scars and marks that marred his warm skin, it glistened in the dusky golden light of sunset. Striking as her pale hands trailed down his stomach, curling around the base of his shaft - pride and want curling in her chest as she felt him shudder as her hands worked up and down his length.

It was only a few minutes before both had taken their fill of foreplay, fingers finding her soaked as he’d teased and played with her, a soft cry of his name as she’d climaxed. Body trembling as the pleasure she felt was attributed to him, yet she didn’t hesitate - moving to guide him to her entrance. Lowering herself on him - taking her time as she felt every inch of him filling her in ways that no one night stand had ever filled her.

The night seemed to fade away, the sun set, the rabbit burned, the fire lost its vigor, but the sounds from the two lovers grew only louder as she rode him. His hands at her hips, keeping her steady as she took every inch of him, setting a fast pace as she moved. Honey golden eyes watched her with obvious lust and need, she was everything he’d ever dreamed of and never once deserved. And her cool eyes pooled with warmth as she met his gaze, her hand hovering at his chest as she balanced herself, fingers curling as she felt the erratic speedy beat of his heart. 

“It’s yours Nesta -- it always has been.”

His voice was breathless, soft and strangled as he felt every muscle in his body tensing as he raced towards climax. Yet she was undone by the words, that he would give her his heart -- proclaim it hers.. Legs trembling, body shuddering, she took them both to completion, her finishing with him only a few strokes behind. She collapsed against his chest, his arms encircled her -- his wings shielded them and offered privacy.

“I will choose you -- every day Cassian. Again and again, over and over. I will --”

His hand rose to press a finger to her lips --

“You will be yourself, you will love me as best as you can. And I will expect and demand nothing. Loving you is like loving nature itself, it is changeable and fickle at times, but it is constant and its love runs deep.” 

Nesta had no reply to that -- so she simply kissed him again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading through this word smash nonsense - I have discovered I love writing Nessian haha. So.. SOrry to spam ya'LL... If you liked it please leave a kudos or a comment so I know and stay encouraged to write more! <3


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